Thin + soft soles. What would you do?

[sz90168]

I have got a rising three year old Warmblood Gelding. I had the vet out last week due him being lame and she x-rayed both his front feet and found he has very thin soles and they are soft due to having been stables a lot this winter because of the wet weather. He will be going out at grass near the end of the month. The vet suggested to put some front shoes but surely this only masks the problem? She also recommended to feet him biotin plus. Would it be worth putting keratex hoof hardener on him? Or is there anything else I can out on his feet that will make them grow? He just does not grow much foot at all.

Or shall I just get some front shoes put him and feed the supplement? I just feel a bit reluctant to do this already.

Any advice is welcome I have never had a horse that had that problem.

 

[Erin]

What are you feeding?

 

[sz90168]

Baileys high fibre cubes and mollichaff extra mixed in with some Alfa oil. Once it's used up I won't buy any more though, he was struggling with his weight a bit over the winter. He also gets a bit of sunflower oil.

 

[Dumbo]

My TB suffers with thin, soft soles. I was advised to change diet which I have done to fast fibre, unmollassed chaff and micronised linseed (basically high fibre, low sugar and starch) and he's on a biotin supplement.
Hoping to take shoes off in May time. I was also looking into Keratex hoof hardener but need to read some reviews first!
I would avoid shoes, alter diet (if he's on much hard feed?) and once he goes out he should improve a fair bit!

 

[Holly Hocks]

Baileys high fibre cubes and mollichaff extra mixed in with some Alfa oil. Once it's used up I won't buy any more though, he was struggling with his weight a bit over the winter. He also gets a bit of sunflower oil.

You need to get rid of the Mollichaff Extra!! It's like feeding a child jelly babies!

If your horse isn't fussy, then Fast Fibre is excellent - I had a TB with very thin soles - so thin you could press them with your thumb and they would bend. She now has soles so thick that even the vets were staggered by them - and she's only had her shoes off about 15 months. I give her Fast Fibre and sometimes some Spillers High Fibre cubes, and I feed Pro Hoof which is about the best supplement I could find, and micronised linseed. I also feed dried rosehips.
Personally I would avoid shoes and see if changing the diet could help first. Good luck!

 

[pinklilly]

Pro hoof and micronised linseed has made a massive difference to my tb's feet.

 

[Tinypony]

I'd do a search and have a good read through the "barefoot" threads here. There is a wealth of information that could help you.

 

[Emilieu]

I did shoe as advised by vet following a similar issue, I was told soles were too thin for no shoes. Changed diet while wearing remedial shoes and *touches wood* my boys hooves are now where they need to be. Barefoot diet will massively improve the quality of the hoof whether you shoe in the meantime or not

 

[AmyMay]

I would shoe definately. And as others have said look at diet.

 

[LucyPriory]

Ask your vet how shoeing will fix the thin soles ie make them thicker and less flexible.
Also ask what are the potential downsides of shoeing. Also ask at what age your horses hooves will have finished growing and the impact that shoeing before this time will have.

 

[lornaA]

My 2 are on micronied linseed and magnesium with high fibre nuts and their feet have never been better. My old mare has always had problems with her soles and feet in general but since starting on the above they are the best i have ever seen them.

 

[thatsmygirl]

I would not be shoeing, diet is a must and yes mollichaff extra is a big NO. Fast fibre, linseed and a good balancer like pro hoof is the way to go. Most pre bagged feeds are high sugar/starch and not feet friendly that's for sure.
Putting shoes on will in the short term make him feel more comfy but long term in my mind you will get more problems and you need to fix the problem not mask it.
Hoof boots are great and watch the spring grass!!

 

[Wagtail]

I would not shoe a three year old. I would feed something such as Pure Feeds Easy or fast fibre and pro hoof and micronised linseed. My mare has had repeated cushings induced laminitis attacks and for a while needed to be shod with imprints for the frog support. However she is now barefoot again and her feet look fab despite recovering from low grade laminitis. Her soles have really thickened up since the change in diet.

My other horse, a TB with thin soles was terribly lame at first when he went bare foot. Now he's rock crunching.

 

[eggs]

My rising 3 year old was on micronised linseed, high fibre nuts, unmollassed chaff and Speedibeet and he went lame. After a full work up the vet could only say he had thin soles and to try front shoes. I was reluctant to do so as was my blacksmith but eventually I did have shoes put on. He came sound immediately and we've never looked back. He is now 9.

 

[JillA]

My horse has always had a low sugar/high fibre diet and very little grass in summer. But his soles started thinning last year and he was very footy. It was confirmed for me by thermal imaging, inflammation across the soles of both front feet. It just wasn't fair to risk bruising etc and all the barefoot people recommended hoof conditioning i.e. walking him over stoney ground. If he was footy on dry soil how cruel would that be? He has had shoes in front just te enable him to work while I supplemented with biotin etc, but that takes a while to work through. They are improving now but if I hadn't had him shod he would be crippled or difficult or both.
A 3 year old is different though, you don't want to be shoeing that young - I would find a really good supplement. IME topical treatments don't do a great deal.

 

[amandaco2]

I'd feed very low sugar diet and good suppliments.
Fast fibre is molasses and alfalfa free and useful to add linseed meal and pro hoof to.

My coloured always had very very flat feet despite being shoeless for a number of years.after a few months on this diet the hooves are much less flat!!! She was previously fed hifi and a balancer.

 

[Tinypony]

Is it just me thinking what a shame that a vet hasn't considered the diet and some well-established strategies for dealing with this without shoes? Particularly in a 3 year old horse.

 

[Holly Hocks]

Is it just me thinking what a shame that a vet hasn't considered the diet and some well-established strategies for dealing with this without shoes? Particularly in a 3 year old horse.

My vet looked at me blankly when I explained that I got my TBs hooves so good by changing her to a high fibre, low sugar and low starch diet......because apparently TBs have genetically bad hooves

 

[jofwigby]

Just to add that I used Keratex (in addition of course to a totally balanced diet of standard pasture mix, beet and proper splosh of oil, mineral licks, haylage etc etc !) and it honestly made a big difference in the strength and quality of his feet.